Can't sleep at night? Let's talk about insomnia.

When you go to bed at night, after a hard day's work, do you feel like you can't even close your eyes? You toss and turn, your head is filled with thoughts, but you can't seem to fall asleep. Sometimes you wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. If this experience is familiar to you, then today we are going to talk about a topic that is very important to you. That is the problem of insomnia, or what we medically call insomnia .

What is Insomnia?

Simply put, insomnia is a sleep disorder that can make you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep (meaning you wake up in the middle of the night), or waking up earlier than you should .

This condition can be short-term (Acute Insomnia) or long-term (Chronic Insomnia). Sometimes it comes, goes away, and comes back. If it lasts from a few days to a few weeks, we consider it a short-term condition. But if this problem persists for more than three days a week or for more than three months, it is a long-term condition.

An adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep a day. Not getting enough sleep doesn't just make you feel tired all day long. If you continue like this for a long time, it can be a big threat to your health. For example, sleep deprivation is directly linked to serious health problems like high blood pressure , heart disease, and depression.

What are the main types of insomnia?

Insomnia can be divided into two main types. It is also classified according to the time when the sleep problem occurs. Let's understand these clearly.

What are the causes of insomnia?

There can be many reasons for insomnia. Some are things we can change, but some are beyond our control.

Primary Causes

• Stress : Stress is a major cause of major life changes and problems. Things like losing a job, the death of a loved one, divorce, or moving house can leave you feeling stressed.
• Sleeping environment: If your sleeping environment is too noisy, too bright, or too hot or cold, it can interfere with sleep.
• Changes in sleep schedule: Jet lag when traveling abroad, changing shifts at work, and waking up at night due to a newborn baby can disrupt the body's natural clock.
• Genetic influence : In some families, the tendency to suffer from insomnia may be hereditary.
• Eating close to bedtime: Eating too much close to bedtime can make you feel uncomfortable when lying down in bed. It can also cause heartburn.
• Caffeine, Nicotine, and Alcohol: Coffee, tea, and cigarettes are stimulants. Consuming these late at night can prevent you from falling asleep. Alcohol can make you feel a little sleepy, but it's not a deep sleep. So you may wake up in the middle of the night.

Our Bad Habits (Poor Sleep Hygiene)

Some things we do without realizing it have a big impact on our sleep. We call this " sleep hygiene ".

• Changing bedtime and wake-up times throughout the day.
• Daytime naps.
• Doing strenuous work before bed or not having time to relax.
• If you use your bed for more than just sleeping: if you work, eat, or watch TV from bed, it's hard for your brain to understand that the bed is a place to sleep.
• Exposure to blue light from things like phones , computers, and TVs before bed.

Secondary Causes

Sometimes insomnia can be a symptom of another serious illness.

• Mental health problems: Depression and anxiety are two of the main causes.
• Certain medications: Some medications taken for conditions such as colds, allergies, high blood pressure, and asthma can disrupt sleep.
• Body pain: Chronic pain, such as back pain and arthritis, can make it difficult to sleep well at night.
• Other sleep disorders: Conditions such as sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome.
• Chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and hyperthyroidism.

Doctor, how do you diagnose this?

When you go to see a doctor, he will follow several steps to investigate this condition.

1. Initial examination: First, your doctor will examine you physically and ask about your medical history, sleep patterns, and symptoms. They will ask about how long you have had the problem, how it affects your day, whether you use drugs like alcohol, and whether there have been any major changes in your life.

2. Sleep Diary: You may be asked to keep a sleep diary for two weeks. In it, you should write down:

• Bedtime
• Time to go to sleep
• How many times did you wake up at night?
• Time to get up in the morning.
• When drinking things like coffee and alcohol

3. Special tests: Sometimes special tests may be done to check for other medical conditions.

• Polysomnography or Sleep Study: In this, you are kept overnight in a special sleep center, and while you sleep, your brain activity, breathing, and heart rate are monitored with machines. This can accurately determine if you have other sleep disorders, such as ``Sleep Apnea''.
• Actigraphy: A small device, similar to a watch, is worn on your arm or leg. You have to wear it for one to two weeks. It records your movements while you sleep and when you are awake.

What are the treatments for insomnia?

The best thing is, insomnia is a treatable condition.

1. First, you need to develop good sleep habits (Better Sleep Hygiene).

This is the first and most important step.

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day . Don't break this habit even on weekends.
• Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature .
• Avoid things like coffee, tea, alcohol, and cigarettes a few hours before going to bed at night.
• Exercise during the day, but not too close to bedtime. Finish exercising at least 5 hours before bedtime.
• Don't sleep during the day.
• Use the bed only for sleep and sex. Work from bed, don't watch TV.
• If you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes of going to bed, get out of bed, go to another room, and do something relaxing, like reading a book. Go back to bed only when you feel sleepy.

2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This is a very effective treatment that doesn't require medication. You can get this treatment by talking to a psychiatrist or counselor. It works by changing negative thoughts about sleep, such as fear and anxiety, and training yourself to get a good night's sleep.

3. Insomnia Medication

This is something that should only be taken on the recommendation of a doctor. Usually, a doctor will only prescribe these medications for a short period of time. These are not a solution to insomnia, but only a temporary help.

What happens if insomnia is ignored?

Sleep is the rest that allows our bodies and brains to repair and store memories. When it is lost, serious problems can arise.

• The risk of developing diseases such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease increases.
• The risk of depression and anxiety increases.
• The chances of accidents, especially car accidents, are increasing.
• The body's immune system is weakened and diseases develop easily.
• Attention and memory deteriorate.
• I have to stay angry and restless all day.

Insomnia, sleep problems, sleep habits, sleep hygiene, stress, CBT, sleep medication